The goal of meditation is not to reach some highest place, but to remain in the place where you already are.

We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.

Just as true humor is laughter at oneself, true humanity is knowledge of oneself.

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.

When we rest in awareness, we discover a peace that is always present, regardless of circumstances.

Everybody has the light of Buddha within, but they don't look for it.

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.

The true understanding is that the practice itself is enlightenment.

Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.

Few among men are they who cross to the further shore. The others merely run up and down the bank on this side.

The mind that notes and the object that is noted are both impermanent. Understanding this leads to liberation.

Meditation is not about achieving anything. It's about letting go of everything.

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help.

Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.

When mindfulness is weak, defilements are strong; when mindfulness is strong, defilements are weak.

The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

When the heart is still, it can be kind. When the mind is still, it can see clearly.

Don't be afraid of the future. The future is good.

The true person is not anyone in particular. But like the deep blue color of the limitless sky, it is everyone, everywhere in the world.

The greatest obstacle to meditation is our expectation about what it should be.

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.

Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache: you won't be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.

Zazen is not step-by-step meditation. Rather it is simply the easy and pleasant practice of a Buddha, the realization of the Buddha's Wisdom.

Nothing is permanent. Everything is subject to change. Being is always becoming.

The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.

For whom emptiness is possible, everything is possible. For whom emptiness is not possible, nothing is possible.

There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.

Without darkness, there is no light. Without the path, there is no arrival.

Start from where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation.